Nortel Networks Corporation

Rockstar Consortium US LP

Mirjana Vukovic

Dominic Goodwill

Eric Bernier

Alan Frank Graves

Darwin Thom

A network planning tool and method for configuring a connection-oriented packet network over a WDM optical network without an optical control layer, such as a SONET/SDH layer. The optical network includes a plurality of optical fibers interconnected through nodes and the connection-oriented packet network, such an Ethernet network, MPLS network, or pseudowire network, includes two or more terminal devices. The method and tool function by building an association between the components of the physical layer, such as the optical fiber, and their geographic location or path. The connection-oriented packet network is configured by building multi-link trunks (MLTs) between terminal devices, where the MLTs are built by aggregating lightpaths that traverse distinctive geographic paths. The MLTs are planned and configured through aggregating lightpaths that traverse incongruent sets of photonic elements. A predetermined target for resiliency to physical failure events may determine the degree of congruence allowed between the sets of photonic elements associated with lightpaths in the same MLT.

Method and system for configuring a connection-oriented packet network over a wavelength division multiplexed optical network

A technique for photonic switching is disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the technique may be realized as a method for photonic switching. The method may comprise receiving at least one optical signal at a photonic line card, wherein the at least one optical signal comprises one or more wavelength channels and the photonic line card comprises at least one integrated optical switch. The method may also comprise routing at least one of the one or more wavelength channels through the at least one integrated optical switch to a photonic bus, wherein the photonic bus comprises a plurality of optical paths and each of the plurality of optical paths is capable of carrying multiple wavelength channels.

Technique for photonic switching

A method and a protection switching arrangement for protection switching of any one of a plurality of optical signals of a multi-wavelength optical signal from the failure of an optical component is provided. The multi-wavelength optical signal which contains the optical signals is itself rerouted by the use of wavelength agnostic rerouting elements, after which a tunable optical filter is used to obtain from the multi-wavelength optical signal the particular optical signal which would have been affected by the failure. In embodiments of the invention where the failed component is a switching fabric, the multi-wavelength optical signal is rerouted away from the failed switching fabric through a redundant switching fabric after which the particular optical signal is obtained with use of the tunable optical filter.

Protection architecture for photonic switch using tunable optical filter

The present invention relates to a system for testing the connection paths of a switch fabric by using a spontaneously emitted signal as a test signal. The system includes at least one first module and at least one second module, wherein each one of the second modules is associated to one of the first modules through a connection path in the switch fabric. Each of the first modules is capable of obtaining a respective first measurement of a characteristic of the spontaneously emitted signal supplied to the switch fabric, and each of the second modules is capable of obtaining a respective second measurement of the characteristic of the spontaneously emitted signal. The system further includes a processing module in communication with each of the first and second modules for determining a feature of the optical component based on the first and second measurements.

Method and apparatus for testing an optical component

A depopulated MEMs array based protection switch is provided. The protection switch includes a depopulated protection array for rerouting optical signals using fewer switching elements than a fully populated array, and in some implementations an integrated test array for performing a self-test in service mode, and for testing failed optical components.

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Nepean, Canada

Mirjana Vukovic